Boot-tree



(No Mode.)

l J. D. SPILLBR.

BOOT TREE.

No. 399,166. Patented Mar. 5, 1889'.`

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UNITED STATES Parnnr @erica JOSEPH D. SPIR-LER, Ol?" )[AlLDFlN,LSSM'IIUSE'I"5.

Boor-TREE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 399,166, dated March 5,1889. Application iiled January '7, 1889. Serial No. 295,676. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern/.-

Be it known that l, JOSEPH D. SPILLER, of Malden, in the county ofMiddlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and use- .fulImprovements in Boot-Trees for Rubber Boots, of which the following is aspecification.

In constructing boot-trees for rubber boots according to the presentmethod a rod extends vertically through t-he leg portion and screws intoa nut in the foot portion. To strip the boot from the tree, this rodmust be unscrewed, the leg portion of the tree pulled out, the footportieri drawn out, and the rod must be screwed into its formerposition. All this consumes considerable time, and the insertion of therod into theleg portion materially weakens it.

The nature of my invention is disclosed by the accompanying drawings, inwhich- Figure .l is a longitudinal vertical section ol' my improvedboot-tree, the leg portion being in elevation and the rubberboot shownin section in position thereulion. Figs. 2 and l are detailedperspeeiivcs of the joining or locking portions of the footand legportions, respectively, ot' the tree. Fig. -lis a section of the treetaken online Fig. l.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

A represents a rubber boot in position on the tree, of which B is theleg portion, and C the foot port-ion. This leg portion is made solid, noprovision being made for a rod, such not beingneeded in my invention.The joint between the leg and foot portions is of the shape of aninverted ,having a vertical and horizontal portion.

D is a metallic frame or plate set vertically into the foot portion Cnext the joint, said piate being provided with two vertical arms, D',and a central horizontal slot, D. The plate is attached to the footportion by a screw, d, or in any suitable manner, and such foot portionis recessed or out away at C at the rear of the plate for the purposementioned below. Furthermore, thefoot portion is preferably out away atc c vertically next the sides of the plate, to allow for shrinkage ofthe wood, and for another purpose below set forth.

E is a rod lying in a passage, C, which extends i'roni the outside ol'the foot (i to the recess C', said rod being provided with a head orbutton, E', at its outer end, a stirrup, E, at its inner end, and aspira-l spring, c, between said head and siirrup. This spring holds therod E normally with its head or button iiush with the outside of thei'oot C; but pressure on the button forces it in so that the stirrupwill lie in the slot D and be substantially flush with the surface ot'the frame D.

H is a metallic plate secured to the vertical part. ot the joint end ofthe leg portion B by screws h or other suitable means. Integral withthis plate is the cat-ch ll,o'f substantially the shape shown, andhaving a horizontal groove, h', (see Fig. 3,) adapted to fitthe stirrupE.

H H are ribs adapted to embrace the plate D and prevent horizontalsidewise movement, said ribs extending into the grooves o c.

To place and lock the leg and foot portions together, simply press theleg portion down into the foot portion. The catch H' slips down into therecess C behind the plat-e D, and the stirrup E catches in. the grooveh', the slot D allowing it movement. Now, when the boot-tree is inposition, as in Fig l, with a rubber boot upon it, in order to strip offthe boot, the button or head E is pressed by placing the thumb on theoutside of the boot next the button, and, the joint being therebyunlocked, the leg B is readily removed frein the boot, and afterward thefoot C. 'As above stated, the two parts may be put together again in aninstant.

In order to produce vadditional pressure of the locking parts againsteach other and to start them apart when the button is pressed, a spring,I, is placed in the vertical recess I in the leg B nextthe joint, saidspring pressing against the foot C. (See Fig. l.)

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a boot-tree Afor rubber boots, the cour bination of the foot C,recessed at C', provided with the plate D, slotted at D, the spring-rodE, adapted to play in the passage C, and the leg B, provided with theplate H and hook H', having the recess it', substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

2. In a boot-tree for rubber boots, the comn IOO bination of thehook-plate Il, secured to the with a, catch for engaging said bolt, anda 1o leg` B and provided with the ribs H, Wit-.l1 spring', :is I, setinto said leg portion sind bearthe plate D and foot C, the latterprovided l ing against the foot portion, substantially as with thegrooves C (Y: nexttlie sides of said and for the purpose set forth.

plate, substantially as mld for the purpose i W above Set forth. JOSEPHD. bPILLER.

3. In a boot-tree for rubber boots, the coui- Viinesses:

hina-tion of the foot portion C, provided with HENRY XV. VILLIAMS, alooking-bolt, the leg portion B, provided i J. M. HARTNETT.

